At this time of year, many young people must decide where to direct their professional careers. A time to explore all options and give passions a chance. Fashion has traditionally been seen as an unconventional career, but industry experts say this is not the case. And that it has a wide variety of career opportunities.
This was stated during the CSDMM Must Go On Master Talk event, a meeting held at Dimad. In which the designers and professors of the Higher Fashion Design Center of Madrid (CSDMM) of the Polytechnic University of Madrid detailed their advice to start in the world Here are some of them:
Identity
In a world as competitive as fashion, it is vital that each professional have their own stamp that differentiates them from the rest. A maxim emphasized by designer Daniel Rabaneda. Who recommended that students try to “find their own path. And their own identity beyond the work done by their classmates.”
Training
Creativity is a fundamental pillar, but it must be based on technical knowledge. This is how the designer Miguel Becker, founder of the firm Mané Mané, pointed it out: “I teach scientific and creative methods so that they can turn their ideas into fashion. They must know the tools to be able to fit them later in their style”.
Lose fear
“After spending basic education studying subjects such as mathematics or English, delving into creative processes is a bit dizzying,” acknowledged Rabaneda, who recommended working to lose the shame. “Only then can we truly see what’s inside?”
Respect
Although it is a creative career, it is also very serious. This was made known by the couturier Juan Vidal, who recommended that future professionals have a lot of respect for fashion.
Stick to the street
Fashion professionals must be very close to the street to know what is happening at all times, moreover, this art is also a channel through which to relate to a changing context. “The creator has to transfer to fashion what he is observing in reality”, pointed out the creator of Mané Mané.
Take advantage of new formats
One of the transformations that the fashion industry is undergoing, accelerated by the pandemic, has been the proliferation of new platforms. These formats are much more accessible for those who are still taking off. “There are ways of being able to make fashion that is not so different from what the big brands are doing,” recalled Becker.
Communication
Taking new platforms into account is essential. This was pointed out by Juan Vidal, who recalled that “everyone must choose their format based on their business model, but today’s communication is almost more important than the product itself.”
Be open to all options
Within fashion, there are many different professions that go beyond being the visible head of a brand. “Fashion is not based only on the figure of the creative director,” Rabaneda recalled. In this line, the designer is encouraged to surround himself with a good varied team and to begin to weave a network of contacts from the first moment.
Move
Contests and practices are the best way to work your way up. “It is advisable to present yourself to all the contests that are possible, attend all the events, be seen… Being connected with the industry is the only way to be known”, Vidal summed up.
Sustainability
Beyond training –both regulated and unregulated–, the way in which a brand is built is also relevant for its future. Thus, in the current context, any new idea must also incorporate current values such as the concept of sustainability. “More than a communication and marketing strategy, this will be an obligation for brands”, Vidal summed up.
You may also be interested in Can I use a mountain bike on a turbo trainer?